This application is also generally related to applicant's co-pending applications Ser. Nos. 07/576,080 filed Aug. 31, 1990, now; 07/598,385 filed Oct. 18, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,011; 07/603,182 filed Oct. 24, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,847; 07/706,853 filed May 29, 1991; and 07/719,711 filed Jun. 26, 1991.
This invention relates to reusable and re-collapsible containers, and particularly to a one-piece container having a peripheral side wall which is arranged to include areas of differential wall thickness and diameter to thereby permit collapse of the container from an extended to a collapsed condition by reason of a telescoping relationship between the various portions of the peripheral side wall. The preferred embodiment of the invention according to this continuation-in-part application is directed toward a more specialized container which not only incorporates the above features, but an additional one as well, i.e., a low profile spray head type closure removably attached to the container such that, in the collapsed condition, the spray head lies substantially within the container profile. Stated otherwise the spray head is fully nested in the collapsed condition so as not to protrude to any significant extent above the upper fold edge of the container side wall. Other related embodiments, with and without spray heads, are also disclosed.
Collapsible containers, drinking cups and the like are, of course, well known. For example, in applicant's own prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,644, a collapsible, thin film plastic container is disclosed wherein a major portion of the container side wall has a reduced wall thickness to permit random collapse of the side wall. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,211, a plastic bottle having a uniform wall thickness throughout the side wall, is configured to permit collapsing of the container through telescoping movement of one portion of the side wall into another portion of the side wall.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,576, a container is disclosed wherein an intermediate portion of the side wall incorporates a bellows-type arrangement for facilitating collapse and extension of the container. The patent also discloses the use of helical creases which spiral or angle between first and second portions of the container side wall to facilitate collapsing action of the creased portion of the side wall.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,100, a bi-stable, expandable plastic bottle is disclosed which incorporates a bellows-type side wall for movement between collapsed and extended positions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,880,902, a collapsible, drinking cup (or camera bellows) is disclosed wherein the side wall is composed of alternating thick and thin portions.
The present invention incorporates a number of features not previously found in the prior art and which result in simple, easy-to-use, low cost containers which may be used and reused by the consumer as desired, and which may be stored in a collapsed condition, maximizing storage space, etc. At the same time, by significantly reducing the thickness of the container side wall in an intermediate portion thereof, source reductions in the amount of plastic required to manufacture the containers are realized.
More specifically, in the various exemplary embodiments disclosed in this continuation-in-part application, one-piece containers (formed by extrusion/blow molding or other appropriate forming methods) are each formed with a peripheral side wall divided into upper, intermediate and lower portions with the upper and lower portions having significantly greater wall thickness than the intermediate portion. For example, the intermediate portion may have a wall thickness of preferably between about 5 and about 20 mils which permits the intermediate portion to reverse fold as the upper and lower portions are moved toward one another in the aforementioned telescoping relationship.
It is also a feature of the invention that the peripheral side wall of each container include at least one well defined fold line or crease (or other surface configuration) which facilitates the axial collapse of the container. In one embodiment, a circumferential step is provided where the intermediate portion joins to the lower portion by reason of the differential wall thickness. Other arrangements such as those disclosed in the above identified parent application may be employed as well. In each case, the fold line, crease or other surface configuration enables collapse of the container in such a way that the upper portion collapses downwardly into the lower portion, with the intermediate portion at least partially reverse folded.
As mentioned above, a significant feature of the preferred embodiments of the invention relate to low-profile spray heads which are incorporated in screw cap type or other conventional (such as snap-on type) closures. The low-profile spray heads, including hand grip portions and nozzle portions, have relatively small vertical dimensions or depths, i.e., the circumferential extent or width of the spray heads in a horizontal direction is considerably greater than the thickness or height of the spray heads in a vertical direction (as viewed in an upright, in-use orientation). These configurations permit the spray heads to be substantially fully enclosed or nested within the collapsed container profiles.
In another embodiment, a more conventional "upright" spray head is used. While the spray head does protrude above the container in the collapsed condition, space savings are nevertheless realized by reason of the collapsibility feature per se. Moreover, a novel packaging technique, where the spray head and associated draw tube are wrapped externally about the container, permits the container to be shipped with maximum space saving.
In a related embodiment, the container itself is formed in a generally oval shape which permits the conventional, upright spray head to be fully nested within the container in the collapsed condition.
In still another embodiment, a collapsible container with a relatively flat screw type closure is provided wherein the container neck and closure are fully nested or enclosed within the collapsed container profile. In a related embodiment, the intermediate tapered portion of the container has a generally concave surface configuration which facilitates the collapsing action with wall thicknesses in this intermediate portion at the upper end of the disclosed 5-20 mil range.
Thus, in one aspect, the invention relates to a collapsible, extendable and recollapsible, plastic container comprising a peripheral side wall extending between a bottom wall at one end thereof and a discharge opening at an opposite end thereof, the side wall having an upper portion, an intermediate portion and a lower portion, wherein at least the intermediate portion has a wall thickness less than the wall thickness of the lower portion, and wherein cross-sectional area of at least the intermediate side wall portion progressively varies so that the upper and intermediate portions may be collapsed into the lower portion, and wherein the discharge opening is closed by a removable cap incorporating a spray head, the spray head lying substantially within the lower side wall portion when the container is collapsed.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a reusable plastic container comprising a bottom wall, a side wall including an upper dispensing portion including discharge opening, the side wall further including an intermediate portion and a lower portion and wherein the intermediate portion has a wall thickness less than the dispensing and lower portions, and further wherein the intermediate side wall portion is tapered so that the side wall is axially and manually collapsible to a condition where the dispensing and lower portions are telescoped one within the other with the intermediate portion at least partially reverse folded therebetween so that the dispensing portion is fully nested within the lower side wall portion.
Other objects and advantages of the invention with become apparent from the detailed description which follows.